#1 Warriors vs #8 Blazers

I thought the Blazers were going to be better this year, but this is the fastest matchup we can come by. The Warriors swept them in the regular season and KD is back from his injury. This series will give Golden State the time to remind themselves how to play together, and (boring AF) they’ll be the super team we know they really are.

I hate that this is a boring matchup, but it is. BLAH.

#2 Spurs vs #7 Grizzlies

What is wrong with the Grizzlies? Every year they seem to be that team that could threaten but they don’t. And now they’ve found themselves a #7 seed against Pop and the Spurs? Holy game over. Spurs take this series and the Grizzlies continue to sputter along as the most above average team that will just never do it.

You mad Pop?

#3 Rockets vs #6 Thunder

LOVE. THIS. MATCHUP.

The “Battle for MVP“: Harden vs Russ. And with voting occurring after all this, it really could be just that. As it stands there are A LOT of people who seem to lean one way or the other on this, Russ or Harden. Maybe this series brings all those people one way or the other, and will tip the scales away from someone like Kawhi (despite he, like LeBron, probably deserving it year-after-year).

Here’s my first upset I think. The Thunder have a team that was JUST in the Western Conference Finals last season. Adams & Westbrook will be on a warpath to show they weren’t there just because of KD. With the amount of youth on the team you could be worried, but I sincerely believe Oklahoma City will #ThunderUp.

And I’m saying this while LOVING Trevor Ariza (ex-Knick GREAT) and former Knick coach Mike D’Antoni. I like the “shoot the lights out” mentality of Houston, but I just think there’s too much gas poured on the fire of OKC.

#4 Clippers vs #5 Jazz

How did Utah get here? And why can’t the Clippers ever figure it out? Before the year it seems the Clippers always get lots of respect as a potential contender and they just seem stuck in the mud as middle of the pack.

I don’t really know who’s going to win here. The regular season series went 1-3 (not something I think really matters), but I’d like to see Gordon Hayward make some moves and win an NBA playoff series – Utah’s first since 2009 – a team that was led by AK47, Paul Millsap and Mehmet Okur. STUDS.

Utah needs this and the Clippers are so frustrating. I hope they never win honestly. If Jamal Crawford wasn’t on this team I’d never root for them EVER.